Web Marketing: How to Install Your Google Analytics Tracking Code

You need to install a tracking code on your marketing website so that it can start sending data to Google Analytics to begin tracking visitor data.

This procedure varies depending on whether you have a blog site, a traditional site, or a CMS-driven site. (CMS stands for content management system.)

Access your site with whatever editing tool you’re using.

If you have a blog, you’ll want to look at the Templates or Design tool. If you have a traditional site, you’ll probably use a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) tool. If you’re using a CMS, you’ll want to edit your site template.

Copy the Google Analytics tracking code to your Clipboard by first selecting all the code and then choosing Edit→Copy in the text editor where you pasted it.

In your editing tool, paste the tracking code right before the closing </head> tag on each page of your site:

If you’re using a blogging tool or a CMS, you might have to paste the code only once.

If you’re using a traditional website, you might need to paste the code into each page. It’s worth the effort, though.

Save the edited code to your website.

If necessary, republish the site to update your code.

Wait a half hour or so. Log back in to Google Analytics and look for the profile you added.

It should now read Receiving data. It may be 3-4 hours before you see any actual data, but your code is properly installed.

If you didn’t copy the tracking code when you set up your account, here’s how you can find it again: